Mono No Aware | Japan Retreat | June 2018

sold out

Mono No Aware | Japan Retreat | June 2018

from 2,997.00

Join Beth Kirby and Haruka Sakaguchi far from the familiar at their creative business + photography retreat set at Ryokan Sanga, a traditional onsen hot spring fed bathhouse, in a secluded Japanese forest. Located in the Aso mountains near the village of Kurokawa, the onsen is situated alongside a stream that flows from an ancient source where generations have come to bathe in its healing waters. We'll gather here for the fifth year in a row—in the place of their inception—to explore the Japanese aesthetic philosophies of wabi-sabi & mono no aware—the beauty of imperfection, impermanence, and shadow—as well as Japanese cuisine and traditional arts, photography, and designing a life & business you love.

During our time together we will take full advantage of our surroundings and embrace the meditative pace of life. This retreat is an immersive cultural & culinary experience as well as an opportunity to get hands on practice and one-on-one photography instruction and business and life planning mentorship. We will enjoy the hot springs, have group discussions, and come together for classes including a photography practicum that will focus on mastering a DSLR in manual mode & capturing various light, an editing in Lightroom class, branding class, and a social media + digital marketing class. We will cover camera basics for those that need it. In the editing practicum your hosts, Haruka and Beth, will both share and demonstrate how they edit photographs in Lightroom. This retreat will be an opportunity to take beautiful photographs of your surroundings as well as an otherworldly travel and food experience. It's our hope that you will walk away rejuvenated & grounded with fresh eyes for approaching your vision for your life & business as well as the practical knowledge to execute it as well as with lasting relationships with likeminded people. The communities formed in past years of the retreat have resulted in meaningful friendships all over the world.

Please Note: This is not a styling retreat.We will be teaching photography & editing as well as online business & social media strategies for creatives and small business owners. We will be shooting the environment and travel. We will not be teaching food or prop styling during this retreat as we will focus on the experience, wabi sabi, slow living, photography & editing in Lightroom, and branding & social media marketing strategies for creatives.

For Who: This retreat is open to singles, couples, and small groups of all levels & walks of life that are interested in photography, the food & culture of Japan, and taking time to develop their own road map to a life and business they love.

How Much: All prices are given in USD. See the drop down menu for room pricing. We have 4 rooms for couples or friends traveling together. Purchasing one "two person ticket" ensures a spot for two people. We also have a room that will be shared among 3 guests. If you would like to purchase the whole room for a group of 3 friends, please contact us at support@localmilkblog.com. | Payment due in 2 deposits, one at purchase. The second on May 1st 2018.

Included in the retreat:

• tea upon arrival and an introduction to Japanese culture

• all meals excluding alcohol:

• 4 traditional dinners—including one multi-course kaiseki meal—these meals are an art form & they employ seasonal, local ingredients to explore the balance of taste, color, appearance, and texture to not just create a culinary experience but an emotional one

• 3 local lunches

• 4 breakfasts

• traditional Japanese tatami room at Ryokan Sanga and access to all on-site bathing facilities

• a visit from local senseis to instruct us in the traditional art of ikebana floral arranging

• photography and post-processing practicums, a seminar on Intentional Branding & Goal Setting, and a seminar on The Art of Sharing: Digital Marketing With Integrity

• one day of site-seeing, a visit to a traditional tea house, shopping, and eating at a traditional ceramic village where you'll have the opportunity to photography a traditional ceramic artist

• This is a 5 day retreat, with a full 3 days. The first day will be our arrival & welcome day where we do introductions, settle in, and have our welcome Kaiseki dinner. The second day will be a day where we enjoy the property, food, and have photography practicums. The third day, we will take a trip to a nearby traditional ceramic village and enjoy a day exploring the countryside. On the fourth day, we will discuss branding and social media & digital marketing strategies for creatives and small businesses. On our final day, we will share a breakfast and depart at checkout around 11 AM.

Not Included: Airfare or transportation to and from the retreat. When you arrive in Kurokawa a bus from the Ryokan will come pick you up to bring you to the inn.

Cancellation Policy: Please know you can make it before booking. Due to the involve logistics and up-front costs, this retreat is 100% non-refundable unless you can find someone to take your place. We strongly advice you to purchase travel insurance in the unlikely event of natural disasters, strikes, or other unforeseen events.

Important: The ryokan cannot accommodate personal dietary restrictions or picky eaters. If you have a serious, life-threatening allergy, please let us know prior to purchasing so we can check with the inn to see if it's one they can accommodate.

To pay only 50% now, use the code "JAPAN2018" at check-out. If you wish to pay in full now, feel free. We urge you to read our FAQ before purchasing and if you have any questions afterwards to please reach out!